Congrats on the little one! As you already know, new parenthood comes with a lot of adjustments: we’re talking changes to your sleep, considering a shower the ultimate luxury, and taking your meals cold and eaten hurriedly over the sink. When the time comes for your trip to the Pacific Northwest, you may be wondering what other adjustments await you; with a baby in tow, can you even enjoy the splendor of nature, dine at our farm-to-table-obsessed restaurants, drink craft beer, sip a perfect cortado, or see a single museum?
We’re pleased to say the answer is definitely. In two shakes of a well-stocked diaper bag, you can enjoy the best of what we have to offer, albeit with a loaded stroller and a bit less rest. We’ll take care of the itinerary, you focus on baby’s sleep schedule!
Play time for the whole family
Because culture isn’t just for those with a full set of teeth.
Children’s Museum, Tacoma
A "pay as you will" model makes this a low-stakes gamble if you’re testing baby's tolerance for public outings. The Snug Space is a calm zone perfect for crawlers and curious sitters, and the library is stocked with all sorts of classic children’s books to read (and perhaps gum the corners of).
Tacoma Art Museum, Tacoma
Visitors are welcome to bottle and breastfeed infants in the Infant Care Room located on the third floor of the Museum. There’s also a dedicated space for kids on the first floor past the gift shop, offering hands-on art experiences with various mediums.
Chihuly Bridge of Glass, Tacoma
Nervous about bringing your baby indoors? If they’re going through a babbling phase, take the pressure off and visit this outdoor wonder with enough colors to stun your little one into momentary silence (it could happen!).
Outdoor Art Gallery, Puyallup
If sticking outside feels right, downtown Puyallup boasts more than 50 outdoor art pieces to admire between the shops and cafes in the area. Sounds like an afternoon of fun!
Exquisite fuel, aka caffeine
For when coffee doesn’t feel optional.
Electric Coffee House, Sumner
While you’re waiting for that perfectly-pulled coffee shot to register in your brain, enjoy the minimal and airy layout of Electric Coffee House’s clean white cafe space. You’ve got this, bud.
Anchor House, Buckley
Good coffee, lots of cookies, more cookies, and a wall of books whose titles you can read while wondering when you’ll ever have time to crack open a book next.
Cosmonaut Coffee, Tacoma
For an expertly-prepared cup that doesn’t need to be doused in syrups (actually, that might be a crime), stop by the tiny Cosmonaut cafe and take your coffee for a walk through Wright Park.
Terrace Cafe at Watson’s Greenhouse and Nursery, Puyallup
A locally-revered secret that we’ll share with you: potentially the best cup of coffee in Puyallup can be purchased in the same place as a sun-loving perennial. Watson’s Greenhouse and Nursery hosts the Terrace Cafe, offering brunch, lunch, homemade pastries, and—indeed—truly great coffee.
Scenic strolls in nature
Short, stunningly beautiful, and stroller-friendly.
Skansie Brothers Park, Gig Harbor
The entire Gig Harbor waterfront offers excellent views and is studded with places to eat and drink. Make sure you swing through Skansie Brothers Park, where you can see the historic Skansie House, Netshed, and the Fishermen’s Memorial dedicated to the Gig Harbor fishermen who lost their lives at sea.
Chambers Bay Loop, University Place
Craving a workout? The 3.25 mile hike through Chambers Bay provides a beautiful view with a steep incline to get your lungs working and blood moving out of that sleep-deprived haze.
Ruston Way Waterfront, Tacoma
If a workout is furthest from your mind, behold the Ruston Way Waterfront, where you can leisurely push a stroller along the Salish Sea with a snack in hand. Perfection.
Want more paved, accessible walks? Check out our blog post on Family-Friendly Bike Trails—because your stroller wheels definitely count.
Family-friendly eats
Where the food is great and the host won’t be annoyed when you ask for a high chair.
The Spar, Tacoma
Before prohibition, this building was home to the Old Tacoma Saloon where gamblers played poker, a tin piano played, and there were rooms upstairs. Today, they’re serving up panko-crusted halibut and fried cheese curds for families with a lovely view of the Sound.
Farm 12, Puyallup
If you think family-friendly restaurant menus stop at pizza and burgers, Farm 12 has dishes like Seared Trumpet Mushrooms on sweet potato pureé and Steak Frites with Fresno chimichurri to delight your eyes and mouth. Weekend brunch is even more precious with Nutella Hazelnut Crêpes and a Short Rib Omelette.
Oxbow Urban Kitchen, Sumner
Oxbow confirms their family-friendliness with a baby changer in the bathroom, so you know they’re serious. Once the baby is secured into their receptacle of choice, order a cup of Clam Chowder, a bowl of Butter Poached Prawns served with toasted sourdough, and then why not share the Double-Cut Pork Chop with cherry mostarda? Your baby might get a secondhand food coma.
Cooper’s Food and Drink, Tacoma
Feeling a bit nervous to enter a dining room? Head to Cooper’s and opt for their patio. To complete the scene, order a Mai Tai from the happy hour menu and toast to parenthood.
Babies and brews
These spots don’t mind your little sidekick.
7 Seas Taprooms, Gig Harbor and Tacoma
Both locations of this excellent brewery’s taprooms are family-friendly, feature a pop-up food option, and in the case of Gig Harbor, offer sweeping views of the waterfront. With at least four takes on an IPA, hop heads will be pleased with the offerings. For everyone else, their crisp pilsner delivers.
State Street, Tacoma
Step your experience up a notch with craft beer and Neapolitan-style pizza, from the traditional Margherita to Pickled Grape with smoked prosciutto and mozzarella. Baby fussing? Take turns walking them up and down Tacoma’s 6th Avenue, filled with great spots like Hi-Voltage Records and Books, and Scorpio Rising vintage (both just a seven minute walk down the street).
Locust Cidery, Gig Harbor
This cidery uses every fruit you can think of to brew flavorful ciders in Washington and Colorado—our favorites are Honey Pear with wildflower honey, pear, and apple, and their small batch Cold-Pressed Apple featuring heirloom Pippin apples. Their Gig Harbor taproom is family-friendly, serves up sausages, and is located just a quick walk from the waterfront.
Simple Goodness Sisters, Wilkeson
Yes, this charming soda shop serves cocktails, wine, and beer alongside their house sodas and paninis, all from an historic building. If your plans include Mount Rainier, make sure you swing through Wilkeson to visit this local favorite.
